ESA Graduate Trainee in the Outer Solar System/Planetary Defence Ops Unit - Instrument Operations
Darmstadt, DE
Location
ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany
Our team and mission
Our team is responsible for mission preparation and flight operations for the ESA fleet of solar and interplanetary spacecraft. The Division currently operates multiple missions (e.g. Hera, Juice, Solar Orbiter) and is preparing for the launch of several others (e.g. RAMSES, COMET Interceptor).
The HERA mission, led by ESA, is humankind’s first probe to rendezvous with a binary asteroid system. As Europe’s contribution to an international collaboration with NASA in the field of Space Safety, HERA plays a crucial role in advancing planetary defence. In September 2022, NASA’s DART mission successfully performed a kinetic impact on the smaller of the two bodies in the Didymos system. Now, HERA is on its way to conduct a detailed post-impact survey, transforming this experiment into a well-understood and repeatable technique for protecting Earth from asteroid threats.
While doing so, HERA will also demonstrate multiple novel technologies, such as autonomous navigation around the asteroid—similar to modern driverless cars on Earth - and gather crucial scientific data to help scientists and future mission planners better understand asteroid compositions and structures. In addition to the main spacecraft, HERA is carrying two briefcase-sized CubeSats, which will contribute additional measurements and observations at closer distances, further enhancing the mission’s scientific return.
HERA was successfully launched in October 2024 and is now en route to the Didymos binary asteroid system, where it is expected to arrive in December 2026. Upon arrival, asteroid proximity operations will commence, marking the start of an intensive mission phase. During this phase, HERA and its two accompanying CubeSats will orbit around the asteroid system, conducting detailed scientific observations and experiments. This close-proximity phase will span approximately six months, during which the spacecraft will gradually reduce its distance to the asteroid. This challenging phase will rely heavily on new technologies, including autonomous guidance and maneuvering systems. Eventually, HERA will enter an experimental phase to capture high-resolution images of the impact crater created by NASA’s DART mission, achieving imaging from a distance of approximately 1 km.
You are encouraged to visit the ESA website: http://www.esa.int
Field(s) of activity/research for the traineeship
You will report to the HERA Spacecraft Operations Manager (HERA SOM). Your primary task will be to prepare and document in a technical note the activities of the various instruments onboard HERA (e.g., cameras) throughout the asteroid approach phase, proximity operations, and until the end of the mission.
This includes:
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive concept to ensure that instrument as well as cubesat requests are fulfilled without conflicting with HERA platform activities or other mission constraints. This involves planning to account for the mission's limited duration and hence constrained data return capacity;
- Modeling and validating data generation and return for all instruments to ensure compliance with allocated data volumes. This involves simulating data usage to verify, in advance and after execution, that all instruments remain within their assigned data volume;
- Integrating the developed concept into the operational environment, ensuring routine execution of instrument activities within the flight control operations and ground segment systems.
You will have to interact with multiple teams in order to complete the TN: Flight Control Team, Instrument teams, Flight Dynamics Team. Aided by the SOM, you will be expected to analyse and reuse experience and lessons learned from previous deep space missions.
You will be integrated in the HERA Flight Control Team and as such may also be participating actively in the cruise flight operations as well as in the overall ground segment development for the asteroid phase.
This position will grant you broad insight into the different aspects of spacecraft operations preparation, including platform, instruments and ground segment for a complex interplanetary mission.
The position foresees the possibility of contributing to analysis for the JUICE mission (including data return, degradation trend analysis, power modelling and other projects in the division.
Technical competencies
Behavioural competencies
Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking
For more information, please refer to ESA Core Behavioural Competencies guidebook
Education
You should have just completed, or be in the final year of your master’ s degree in a technical or scientific discipline, preferably aerospace, electronics, computer science or physics.
Additional requirements
You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team. Previous experience of working in international teams can be considered an asset. Your motivation, overall professional perspective and career goals will also be explored during the later stages of the selection process.
A basic understanding of spacecraft/mission operations would be an asset.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness
ESA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to achieving diversity within the workforce and creating an inclusive working environment. We therefore welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability or other characteristics. Applications from women are encouraged.
At the Agency we value diversity, and we welcome people with disabilities. Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support at the workplace. The Human Resources Department can also provide assistance during the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact us via email at contact.human.resources@esa.int.
Important Information and Disclaimer
Applicants must be eligible to access technology and hardware which is subject to European and US export control regulations.
During the recruitment process, the Agency may request applicants to undergo selection tests. Additionally, successful candidates will need to undergo basic screening before appointment, which will be conducted by an external background screening service, in compliance with the European Space Agency's security procedures.
The information published on ESA’s careers website regarding working conditions is correct at the time of publication. It is not intended to be exhaustive and may not address all questions you would have.
Nationality and Languages
Please note that applications can only be considered from nationals of one of the following States: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Nationals from Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as Associate Member States, or Canada as a Cooperating State, can apply as well as those from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta as European Cooperating States (ECS).
According to the ESA Convention, the recruitment of staff must take into account an adequate distribution of posts among nationals of the ESA Member States*. When short-listing for an interview, priority will be given to external candidates from under-represented Member States*.
The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.
*Member States, Associate Members or Cooperating States.